Capriati launched her quest at the Bank of the West Classic with Wednesday's 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 victory over French teenager Marion Bartoli. The match showed Capriati in all her unsteady glory: She raced ahead early, staggered in the second set and then cranked up her game to subdue Bartoli.

The win vaulted Capriati into Friday's quarterfinals, where she will face Lisa Raymond or Angela Haynes. Capriati thus stands three victories from her first tournament championship since the Australian Open in January 2002.

Back then, Capriati's renaissance was in full form: She had won three Grand Slams in a year's span, with the Australian and French titles in '01. She eventually spent 17 weeks as the world's top-ranked player (between October 2001 and June '02) ahead of the Williams sisters, Martina Hingis and all women on the planet.

Now Capriati, 27, has settled into another realm, impressive if not entirely satisfying. She's ranked No. 7 in the world, a tribute to her career revival but also a clear notch below Serena and Co.

"There are a few players who are really close at the top," Capriati said. "It's a fine line. I think it's just a few things here and there. I definitely think I can still be No. 1."

Capriati clearly has the booming forehand needed to stay with both Williams sisters. But as she acknowledged after Wednesday's win, she must charge the net more often and sharpen her serve to rise in the rankings.

It also would not hurt Capriati's confidence if she could pocket a tournament title and end that pesky 18-month drought.

"A win's a win, but I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself," Capriati said. "I know how difficult it is to win a tournament."

Serena Williams' withdrawal Sunday left Capriati, the No. 3 seed, as the most familiar face in this Bank of the West field. Kim Clijsters is the highest-remaining seed at No. 2 -- she's on the other side of the draw -- but Capriati brings the kind of gate attraction the tournament needs.

She seized early control of Wednesday's match, zooming to a 5-0 lead. As Capriati crunched shots from the baseline, Bartoli, a promising 18-year-old, carried the befuddled expression of an overmatched kid.

Then, with little warning, Bartoli hopped into the fray. She ripped some big shots from the baseline -- Bartoli hits a two-handed forehand and backhand -- and attacked Capriati's serve to take the second set.

That simply jarred Capriati into action. She put more oomph into her shots in the third set and promptly breezed past Bartoli.

Even though Haynes must first beat Raymond, she's already eyeing a potential quarterfinal duel with Capriati.

"I think I can win the tournament," Haynes said. "Capriati is my main obstacle. I have nothing to lose. I'm not going to let her (Capriati) embarrass me, because that's her main goal, to embarrass me."

Frazier, making her 14th consecutive Bank of the West appearance, allowed Hantuchova only a brief uprising early in the second set. Then Frazier hit winner after impressive winner to complete the upset.

Frazier, at 30 the oldest player entered in this tournament, now finds herself in good position to reach Saturday's semifinals, where she would probably meet Clijsters.